Health & Fitness

Immerse Yourself in Nature and Nourish Your Microbiome for Optimal Health

For too long our bodies have been viewed as capsules, sealed off and protected from 'bugs' by our immune systems and an arsenal of antibiotics, pesticides, processed foods, and antibacterial soaps. The more insulated from nature, the better.

The Secret Life of Your Microbiome shatters this deeply held myth, presenting a revolutionary new paradigm, backed by vast science; we're deeply connected to the biodiversity of nature through our microbiomes, the rich microbial ecosystem of our guts and skin, and this connection is essential to health and happiness.

From sugar-rich diets wiping out good gut bacteria and exacerbating depression, to microbes mediating phytonutrient absorption in the brain, to inflammation and cancer, the influence of biodiversity on our bodies is everywhere. The great communicator is our immune system, a 'mobile brain' that interacts with micro-organisms in and around us with profound health consequences. Written with pace, clarity, and humor by world-renowned scientists in immunology, nutrition, and environmental health, The Secret Life of Your Microbiome makes the irrefutable case that health and happiness depends fundamentally on the health of biodiversity, and shows how we can nurture this nature.

Dr. Susan L. Prescott, MD, PhD is an internationally acclaimed immunologist and pediatrician. She has authored 250 scientific papers and The Allergy Epidemic , The Calling , and Origins .

Dr. Alan C. Logan ND is a naturopathic doctor and researcher, a trusted media commentator, and co-author of Your Brain on Nature and The Clear Skin Diet . He and Prescott live in New York and Perth, Australia.

The girls' guide to giving the cosmetics industry a makeover.

Lead in lipstick? 1,4 dioxane in baby soap? Coal tar in shampoo? How is this possible?

Simple. The $35 billion cosmetics industry is so powerful that they've kept themselves unregulated for decades.

Not one cosmetic product has to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration before hitting the market.

• The European Union has banned more than 1,100 chemicals from cosmetics. The United States has banned just 10.
• Only 11% of chemicals used in cosmetics in the US have been assessed for health and safety – leaving a staggering 89% with unknown or undisclosed effects.
• More than 70% of all personal care products may contain phthalates, which are linked to birth defects and infertility.
• Many baby soaps are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical 1,4 dioxane.

It's not just women who are affected by this chemists' brew. Shampoo, deodorant, face lotion and other products used daily by men, women and children contain hazardous chemicals that the industry claims are "within acceptable limits." But there's nothing acceptable about daily multiple exposures to carcinogenic chemicals-from products that are supposed to make us feel healthy and beautiful.

Not Just a Pretty Face delves deeply into the dark side of the beauty industry, and looks to hopeful solutions for a healthier future. This scathing investigation peels away less-than-lovely layers to expose an industry in dire need of an extreme makeover.

15 percent of the purchase price of each book sold benefits the national Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, administered by the Breast Cancer Fund, through December 31, 2012.

Cancer -- the word strikes fear in people's hearts. With more people getting cancer every year, the big question must be: How can we prevent this epidemic?

Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic offers solid evidence that many cancers are preventable, since their causes lie with the contamination of our bodies by pollution from the air we breathe, the products we use, the water we drink, and the food we eat. It is not being caused by just diet, smoking, and the noon-day sun!

Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic takes a positive, solutions-based approach to this unwanted disease. Its pages are filled with practical advice and success stories that will inspire you to act to protect your family, your neighbors, your fellow workers, and future generations.

Each solution is laid out on two pages, with websites for follow-up.

It includes solutions for individuals, parents, youth, action groups,healthcare agencies, cities, labor, businesses, governments, andthe world as a whole.

It provides clear information about ways to prevent cancer, and should eliminate forever the mistaken belief that we don't know how to stop this terrible epidemic.

Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic will appeal to anyone whose life has been touched by cancer, and everyone who wants to stop it.

Most of us turn a blind eye to the startling array of chemicals lurking in everything from shampoo to baby bottles to the bills in our wallets, choosing to believe that government agencies ensure the safety of the products we wear, use, ingest and breathe in daily. Yet the standards for product safety in North America lag far behind those of other countries. We frequently hear that a substance we’ve relied on for years turns out to have serious effects onour health, the environment, or both.

After coming to terms with the fact that the autism and cancer which had impacted her family were most likely the result of environmental toxins, author Deanna Duke undertook a mission to dramatically reduce her family’s chemical exposure. She committed to drastically reducing the levels of all known chemicals in both her home and work environments, using the help of bodyburden testing to see what effect, if any, she was able to have on the level of toxins in her body.

Follow Deanna’s journey as she uncovers how insidious and invasive environmental toxins are. Learn about your day-to-day chemical exposure, the implications for your health, and what you can do about it. And find out whether the author’s quest is mission impossible, or whether she is ultimately able to improve her family’s health by taking steps towardsleading a chemical-free life.

“This book should be read by women and men who have trusted, for too long, the companies whose products get inside their bodies and their minds.” —Ralph Nader, political activist and consumer advocate

Lead in lipstick? 1,4 dioxane in baby soap? Coal tar in shampoo? How is this possible?

Simple. The $35 billion cosmetics industry is so powerful that they’ve kept themselves unregulated for decades.

Not one cosmetic product has to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration before hitting the market.

Incredible? Consider this:

• The European Union has banned more than 1,100 chemicals from cosmetics. The United States has banned just 10.
• Only 11% of chemicals used in cosmetics in the U.S. have been assessed for health and safety—leaving a staggering 89% with unknown or undisclosed effects.
• More than 70% of all personal care products may contain phthalates, which are linked to birth defects and infertility.
• Many baby soaps are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical 1,4 dioxane.

It’s not just women who are affected by this chemists’ brew. Shampoo, deodorant, face lotion and other products used daily by men, women and children contain hazardous chemicals that the industry claims are “within acceptable limits.” But there’s nothing acceptable about daily multiple exposures to carcinogenic chemicals—from products that are supposed to make us feel healthy and beautiful.

Not Just a Pretty Face delves deeply into the dark side of the beauty industry and looks to hopeful solutions for a healthier future. This scathing investigation peels away less-than-lovely layers to expose an industry in dire need of an extreme makeover.

“Thank you Stacy for exposing the truth. The jig is up!” —Fran Drescher, star of the Emmy Award–winning series The Nanny

Your go-to guide for everything from cultivation to wine-making with one of humanity's oldest plant friends

Spanning history and geography, The Elderberry Book takes you on an adventure, deepening your appreciation of a plant that has played a crucial role across the world for thousands of years. Through this fun, inspirational, and educational resource, discover:

• Elderberry's amazing history
• Cultivating and foraging, from the balcony to the backyard
• Various traditional food and medicine preparations
• Simple wine-making techniques
• Traditional crafts and tools.

This is the definitive guide to the many uses of elderberry. No matter where you are, one of humankind's oldest plant friends can provide you with anything from syrup, to wine, to dyes, to so much more!

Once a staple in homes across the world, and found along every highland, highway, and hedgerow, the forgotten elderberry is making a comeback. Its popularity as medicine is surging, its choice as an edible landscaping plant is growing, and its use for wine-making and crafts is being rediscovered.

Grow your own first aid

Most of us understand the value of eating and buying local. Taking back our food, goods, and services from multinational corporations and sourcing them from small growers, producers, artisans, and entrepreneurs benefits our families, our environment, and our communities. Heal Local argues that "100-mile healthcare" can be equally valuable in terms of how we treat illness and injury and maintain wellness.

This innovative guide demonstrates that by harnessing multifaceted whole plants, we can rely on homegrown or regionally produced herbs rather than importing exotics and non-natives. Based on the small apothecary model, author Dawn Combs explains how to:

• Maximize the benefits of homegrown first aid, from increased freshness, potency, and effectiveness to community resilience and local economic growth
• Make home herbal healthcare less intimidating and more attainable, by focusing on twenty herbs to effectively treat most common injuries and ailments
• Implement a local medicine culture safely and sustainably, while protecting and respecting wild plant populations

Many herbals overwhelm their readers, presenting a list of hundreds of herbs, each with a different purpose. Heal Local empowers readers by showing that you don't need to know everything about every herb on the planet to create a complete home apothecary. Anyone can be self-sufficient with their wellness, regardless of their previous knowledge, experience, or available space.

Dawn Combs is a homestead herbalist with over twenty years' experience and author of Conceiving Healthy Babies . As well as training others in herbal home healthcare, she treats her family's common illnesses and minor injuries with natural therapies, herbal remedies, and appropriate foods.

Start your journey as an artisan herbalist and take back control of your health and well-being the natural way

From urban apartments to wild countryside, The Artisan Herbalist is an easy-to-use guide that teaches you how to identify, grow, harvest, forage, and craft herbal allies into an assortment of useful health and wellness products. Through storytelling and step-by-step instruction, The Artisan Herbalist covers:

• The uses and benefits of 38 easy-to-find yet powerful herbs
• Harvesting from the wild, foraging in the city, and using store-bought herbs
• Growing herbs in small areas, balconies, and pots
• Principles, tips, techniques, and formulas to create teas and tinctures
• Infusing oils for the creation of salves, lotions, and balms
• Beneficial herb-based recipes
• Marketing and selling your products through a home-based business.

Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or countryside, take back control of your health and begin your journey toward independent self-care as a budding artisan herbalist.

AWARDS

WINNER | 2022 International Book Awards - Health: Alternative Medicine